Apparently, one major conquest for the Solvay girls volleyball team was not enough.
Having beaten one long-time nemesis (Marcellus), the Bearcats turned around Tuesday night and, led by Jackie Gardner and Lauren Bandera, beat another as it erased a 2-0 deficit and stunned defending Section III Class B champion Skaneateles in five sets.
When the Lakers squeaked out a 25-23 decision in the first set, Solvay took it as a sign that it could play right with Skaneateles, and so it wasn’t discouraged, even when it also lost the second set by a 25-20 margin.
Taking charge in the third set, the Bearcats prevailed 25-18, and were just as good in a 25-17 fourth set, setting up the final drama. Skaneateles was unable to find its earlier form, and Solvay, by a 25-20 margin, completed the rally.
Gardner did a bit of everything, from 24 assists to 13 digs to putting up nine kills to serving up five aces. Bandera was just as versatile, managing 17 assists, serving up seven aces and putting away eight kills to go with her fine defense of 12 digs.
They had plenty of help, too, as Heather Thompson had 14 kills and Jackie Allen backed up her 11 kills with 14 digs. Julie Tomoroska had a team-best 26 digs as Michaela Marotti had eight digs. Grace Delasin led Skaneateles with 14 assists and 15 digs as Kelsey Kraetz had 10 kills.
Westhill, staying undefeated, swept Jordan-Elbridge 25-16, 25-14, 25-10 to open last week’s action and move its record to 9-0.
Annaleigh Gedney set the tone for the Warriors with eight aces to go with her 15 assists. Melissa Newcomb had seven kills, while Delaney Martin had six kills, four digs and two aces.
Xionara Rodriguez managed six digs and Lina Guindy had four digs, to go with two kills and two assists. Kali Kimak led J-E with two kills, two aces and five digs as Jessie Karagosian added three assists.
Marcellus rolled past Hannibal 25-12, 25-11, 25-22 last Tuesday night, watching Kristin Field serve up 10 aces to go with five digs as Kayla Bryant got 14 assists, four digs, two aces and two kills.
Brittney Valentine added six digs and five aces as Zoe Higgins got a team-best eight kills. Anna Smith (five kills) and Suzanna Sylcox (four kills) helped out as 11 different Mustangs picked up kills.
